Reacties op weblog S.E.A. Eyes
Jakarta, January 14, 2004
Dear Gertjan,
I packed my suitcase for the Rotterdam trip. Couldn't believe it myself, as if I can't wait to go. But actually I know where I really wanna go. After the tsunami attacked Aceh and North Sumatra last December, I always wanna go there. I need to do something but I know I wouldn't be much of help unless I have the SAR or medical background. But if I leave anyway with my camera, I feel like exploiting something that has already being exploited enough by the media. And I feel so guilty for not being able to help directly. It's a hard decision but I stand my point still, not to bethere with my camera as a filmmaker. Not now at least.
I can understand how people counting on you to make something about it through your SEA Eyes programme. But for a tragedy as big as this, I think we all need to recover the shocking images that had been presented by TV news channel 24 hours a day, even up till now, over and over again. It's hard enough for us Indonesians to deal with it, not to mention the survivors after they had lost their family members, neighbours, all their possessions and even their 'past'. We need time to heal.
Now, I'm still crying whenever I remember what had happened there. Maybe I'm just too weak to be the messenger. But I assure you, I will bring anything I can find regarding the post tragedy for your programme from my fellow filmmakers, the brave one. It's not a promise, just a small effort to share the unbearable sadness caused by the tragedy. Hope you can understand this.
See you later,
Lulu Ratna
- - - -
I've been reading some blogs from SEA that I linked to through The Guardian newspaper's website. Maybe you want to post these links on your blog? I don't know, I think there needs to be some place for this stuff in the program, or around it, since whatever the case, people are going to look at your program differently than they would have if this tragedy hadn't happened. What do you think? I guess in the same way my old footage of the WTC is forever changed, and I feel like it's my job to acknowledge that somehow even if I don't change the film or even make a film out of it at all, that the SEA Eyes program is changed and so whatever context you create for it is different too, might as well find a way to acknowledge that too.
These are my thoughts, ...
Best,
Jenny Perlin
http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/http://www.desimediabitch.blogspot.com/(Note from the editor: IFFR 2004 screened Jenny Perlin's
The United States in a Chaotic World and
All-American Dinner as part of the Homefront USA programme section. In its follow up during IFFR 2005 ('PS Homefront USA') the festival presents her new short films
Review and
Possible Models)